And so, most of the castle remained blind, thinking that Beast was in grief and frustration that night, and within a couple of days, Beast managed to get Juliet and Jiminy to the storage room to tell the news.
"Everything alright?", Juliet asked him as Beast took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes… it's almost over.", he said. "She gave birth to our fourth child; and let me know that she's now only a few days away from home. She can see the village where Belle and Maruice are from."
Jiminy widened his eyes, "That's great! But?", looking at Beast, and Beast replied, "She has to take the long way; avoid the village as it's the upcoming autumn time, and you know what that means.".
Juliet exhaled, "Hunters…", and Beast nodded, and exhaled, "She is extremely taking care of the cubs and herself. I know she's smart, and she will take the darkest and roughest part of the forests to travel through, and if she's needing to take it easier, she might travel at night…".
"She will take any chance to get closer to home, Beast. But she has the cubs to think about, especially your new child, as he or she's barely a newborn.", Jiminy replied.
"And still one more to go.", Beast added as everyone sighed. "You sure you don't want me to head out?", Juliet asked. "Maybe to go find her if she's nearby, I think I could easily get away with it."
"Certainly wouldn't have much trouble with the villagers, that certainly would be sure.", Jiminy admitted.
Beast exhaled deeply, "I would feel better if you didn't go alone.", and Juliet nodded, "Maurice is still a bit slow on regaining his leg strength…Belle knows the village…I'll ask her if she and Maurice are permanently staying as…I doubt the village would be sad to see Belle and Maurice go as they call them odd and strange. Perhaps on the pretense of selling the cottage as it is in their name.".
Jiminy replied, reassuring Juliet, "Belle clearly loves you, Juliet. And besides, maybe with a signal or something for Perla to see subtly without the villagers noticing, you could use a cart as a way to pack Belle and Maurice's stuff, but with a fake floor or such, Perla and the cubs can get home.".
"That might just work. Besides, not like Belle knows what to look for right now. Truth be told, neither can I…", Juliet said as Beast chuckled. "Just look for the beastly woman with four children, you can't miss her.", he teased as Juliet rolled her eyes.
Jiminy smiled, "Don't worry, it will be fine…Should we start working on the carts? If we build them to be bigger in a way…We can fit most of Maurice's inventions on one cart, and for the second cart, some of the furniture, and enough room to fit Perla and the cubs in either cart…".
Beast exhaled, "Yes, but be careful…But first, Juliet will have to ask Belle first.", and Juliet said, "Alright…We got this…And Beast, before we go out, your fourth cub? Boy or girl?".
"Boy. Theodore, Teddy for short…And he's not like the other cubs.", Beast said with a chuckle. "Not like the others?", Juliet asked as he smiled.
"There's quite a bit of human to him... maybe a sign...", Beast said as he took another breath. "Maybe that we'll break our curses... isn't that right, Romeo?". He smirked as Juliet's eyes went wide, "Perla told me when Teddy was born. She told me about what she was before and about you... and I just thought you needed to hear that I know, and I'm alright with it.".
"Even the magic?", Jiminy asked as Beast nodded. "I think your friend in the Blue Fairy has been the one keeping Perla and me in contact, so... I'm okay, I just... it was better to wait to tell me all that rather than sooner.".
Juliet and Jiminy nodded, relieved to hear that, and Jiminy replied, "Right, I will get Ray and Jules on it as soon as Juliet talks with Belle and Maurice.".
Beast smiled, nodding, "Good. I feel better with a plan now...We will get them home...I know it's not fair not to let the others know, but it'll be safer that way, especially when Perla is close.".
"It'll certainly be a shock, that's for sure.", Juliet said as Beast nodded, "They'll get used to it... and then we'll hopefully find this dark magician before he tries anything else.".
Jiminy nodded, "We'll keep all this family safe, including the servants. The dark magician deserves to be punished for what he had done to our family.".
Beast replied, "Our family.", determinedly motivated to keep the family safe for Perla including his adoptive son, Carlo. Jiminy and Juliet agreed on that, and with nods, seeing the plan as far as complete, they left the storage room.
They split ways to do things usually for that day, keeping it normal in case if the dark magician is spying, and the next day, Juliet went to have a stroll with Belle in the gardens, feeding the birds.
"Belle?", Juliet asked gently as she sat on a bench, and Belle looked up from her position on the ground, "Yes?".
Juliet replied curiously, "A thought came to me last night...What if you stay...forever with me?", as Belle looked surprised as Juliet continued to speak, "I know Maurice isn't the same without his inventions...if we pack them and bring them here...the village couldn't care much less if you sell the cottage...".
Belle gave her a look as she gave a small smile. "What brought that idea on?", she asked as Juliet shrugged her shoulders, "Well, we've been getting fairly close these past few weeks and I just thought that maybe we should move forward with some things...".
Belle smiled, "Especially when we have been courting for some days already...Papa would love to have his inventions...And I rather miss my collection of books...Oh, lord, I hope some of the village tended to the goats and chickens...".
"I know it's sort of quick in a perspective, and I just don't want to rush you into anything...But I want you to be happy and safe, especially out of Gaston's hands permanently...", Juliet replied softly.
"True... being here would keep me far and away from that pompous brute.", Belle said as she nodded. "Alright then, we can do that, it will take a bit for us to move things, but we'll get it done and head back. We can sell the cottage another day if need be.".
Juliet smiled lovingly, "Okay...", looking at her, "And you don't have to move in with me...I mean, I may be a woman, but I still know the way of the gentleman...This is a castle, after all...", blushing nervously.
Belle stood up from her position, walking over to Juliet, taking her hands in hers, "You are so much better than Gaston...", and Juliet beamed at that, and then chuckled with a little laugh.
"What is it?", Belle smiled, and Juliet looked at her, "Jiminy said the same thing...", and Belle giggled softly, "Oh, great minds think alike, in friends or family...Juliet, you know Beast doesn't care about any of our business, and...sure, Papa may be eccentric, but I think he will understand, especially when I'm old enough to make my own choices as of now...I'm not ready yet to make love, but I promise I want to try one day, but now...if I move in with you as of tonight, can I just sleep with you?".
Juliet blushed, hearing that. "Sure, I would actually love that... but again, it's up to you if you wish.", she reminded. After all, she didn't want to pressure her into anything.
Belle rubbed her hands lovingly, "Juliet, I want you to be happy and safe too...And seeing you react happily, it makes me happy...And besides, if I know Papa's inventions, some of them will be big. I suspect the boys will work on your carts, huh?".
Juliet chuckled, "Yeah, more or less. We might need to remove some parts off your father's inventions to fit properly, but I'm sure Maurice knows where they properly go back on once we get back home.".
"Home...I feel at home with you, with Papa here and I couldn't have anything better than that...", Belle smiled before kissing her on the lips lovingly, glad that she is becoming a natural at it over the past few days since she was asked to be courted.
"You're getting much better at that, you know it?", Juliet teased as Belle smirked, "Well, I've been having a good teacher.".
Juliet chuckled, "Touche.", before kissing her back in return with equal love, and so, with the news told, with Maurice happily understanding, glad to have his work returning to him, and with the castle having plenty of room, he can dwindle all he wants in his projects, and so, Jules, Jiminy, and Ray, along with some of the enchanted staff who can chop and such, goes to work on the carts.
And Maurice was completely fine with the change of accommodations for Belle, only moving up a floor, moving in with Juliet. The next few days from that night began a new aspect of their relationship as Belle discovered that she surprisingly enjoyed cuddling and sleeping with Juliet, and waking up to Juliet's beautiful eyes or lips in the mornings makes it even more perfect.
Finally, the carts were completed at the end of the first week, with the first cart hitched to Phillippe, and the second cart hitched to Major and Arnaldo as a pair, and Beast knew that any day, Perla would be in the vicinity of the village, through safely and deep in the forest, if she's taking the long way, and he hugged Juliet, whispering to her, "How are you going to do it?", while Juliet and Belle was bidding everyone with hugs and such.
Juliet whispered back, "I'll have my old hat on the back door of the cottage, Belle says that the forest backs the cottage.", and Beast nodded, speaking a bit louder, "Alright, then. You better get going before the sun goes overhead.".
"Wouldn't want the wolves to get bold again.", Juliet said as she looked back to Belle with the other cart. "You ready, Belle?", she called out.
Belle called back, "Yes, let's go.", giving a warm smile at her papa, and then urged Phillipe, "Come ahead, boy!", and Phillippe nickered before starting to walk on, and Juliet then urged Major and Arnaldo on behind Belle's cart, following.
A couple of the staff members, two coat racks pulled the gates open as the carts went through the entrance/exit, and the coat racks closed the gates.
Mrs. Potts gave a prayer, "Have the Lord bless them with good weather, and guide them home once it's done and all, amen.". Everyone echoed her, "Amen.".
Beast knew he can use the magical mirror to check on them, but he's still wary of the dark magician polluting the magical mirror, tricking him again like he did on that day.
"Be safe, you two...", Beast said to himself as he took a deep breath, "And if you run into Perla, just drop whatever and get her back...". He really hoped that they might catch her, and they could smuggle her back with the carts.
The carts successfully made it through the forest, and Juliet figured that the wolves had enough of Beast and realized that the humans within Beast's protection is off limits, especially after Beast had fought with them two times, and managed to kill a few important wolves in the pack hierarchy.
Belle, managing to realize the surroundings within the valley, guided the way, and Juliet can see that there are open meadows and such, and she prays that Perla is resting within a safe place to keep the cubs out of sight when it's daylight, or that she's using the dark spots of the forests to her advantage.
With the weight of the empty carts, and not at any hurry, since Juliet does not want to miss Perla in case they overshoot her, having her old hat on the side of her cart, just in case, it took all day, and by late evening, they made it to the cottage, without any chance of Perla seeing Juliet.
Seeing that the village was all but dark with some lanterns here and there, and that it was late, the two women merely unhitched the equines, and let them out into the cottage's side paddock next to the cottage's fenced side-yard where the goats and chickens reside.
Belle was relieved to see signs of people feeding the livestock, and so, they headed into the cottage, with Belle telling Juliet to take her father's bedroom...sad not to sleep with her, but with being near the village, it's dangerous per sec. Juliet understood, and in a corner where there's no windows, they kissed each other good night, and went to sleep.
As the sun rose the next morning, the two women went to have breakfast, and then started on moving stuff, with the village seeing and hearing gossip that Belle is back with a woman helping her moving stuff, and Gaston hearing the news from passerby that Maurice got laid with a fever and an injured leg, with Belle finding her papa in a big town, having over missed the festival.
"Anything you want to toss out?", Juliet asked as she gathered a few more things. "You know, maybe either get rid of or at least leave behind for the new occupants?".
"You'll have to tell me what brought that idea on, did you see something that I might not need?", Belle asked.
"We do have enough beds back home. And besides, we can always take the blankets with us, though we can leave the pillows.", Juliet chuckled, "And of course, we will take your collection of books, after all, they're your old friends, eh?".
Belle smiled, "I appreciate that, Juliet. I just need to check with any of the villagers if they could take in the goats and chickens...I'm sure the book shopkeeper would appreciate a chicken to give him eggs.".
Juliet replied, "Sounds wonderful. Well, is there still some money left around here to buy some bread? I'm hungry after this morning...Who knew that your papa's inventions are also heavy? Thank God that some of the stuff is collapsible in a way.".
"There's usually a secret jar in the kitchen. I'll check if I got some coins left. So, you just want a fresh loaf of bread and some honey, maybe a bit of jam?", Belle asked, and Juliet smiled, "That'd be great. Do you want me to come along?".
Belle shook her head, "I know my way around. It may have been a month and nearly a half, but my memory is still intact. And besides, I don't want you to get lost in the crowd as it gets busy, and don't worry, I'll handle Gaston if he comes around...I don't want you to get arrested for hitting the town hero...".
"I'd honestly like to see them try.", Juliet chuckled. "If I took down Gaston, they'd probably be much too afraid to do anything.", with a smirk. "All the same, let's just try to get back home with things and not cause problems.", Belle replied.
Juliet nodded, squeezing her hand lovingly, understanding what she meant by that, and she then replied, "Well, I better get those things to the carts.", and Belle smiled, going to check the secret money jar in the kitchen, and picking up a basket to carry the required items, and left the cottage.
An hour later, Belle came in a huff, nearly slamming the door as Juliet was carefully dislodging Maurice's favorite invention, the door glass seeker from outside, "Whoa! Belle, are you okay?", and went inside, closing the door, worried about Belle.
"That pompous man! Gaston, he had the nerve to follow me everywhere! He kept asking questions while I was trying to talk with people over the selling of the goats and chickens, bartering for our lunch, and having received a long-awaited trilogy book gift from the book shopkeeper!", Belle ranted angrily.
Juliet stared at her bookworm, never imagining in seeing an angry look directed at a man, not at her, and she replied, "He followed you everywhere?", getting upset at this man who dared to bother Belle on her trip.
Belle nodded, "Yes! He was getting into my personal space! He kept trying to keep me away, talking about his latest trophies and he had the gall to say that a woman my age shouldn't be with my father forever otherwise people would have the wrong idea!".
"What the fuck?! That sick bastard! You're his daughter, and daughters has the right to worry and take care of their fathers as elders deserve to be respected and cared for, like Maurice...", Juliet shook her head in shock and anger at the audacity of that man.
"I know, the man doesn't have a single sympatric bone in his body. The ego on him is... it rivals that of despots and dictators.", Belle huffed. "Like the Little Corporal?", Juliet teased as Belle rolled her eyes at the Napoleon joke, "Very much so.".
